Bringing back the birds of Bangham

The bird's nickname relates to its robust head and neck, but it also holds the reputation of being one of Australia's loudest songsters.

In the sights of Cassie Hlava's binoculars, the elusive birds become part of a broad ecological picture.

The Bushland Restoration Project Officer for Natural Resources South East is standing in the middle of Eaglehawk Waterhole, a 584 hectare property north of Frances, in the state's Upper South East.

The area surrounding the property is known as the Bangham district, which holds a strong environmental relevance in the South East.

"It's a really important area for conservation in the region," said Ms Hlava.

"There's about 25 per cent native vegetation remaining, whereas in the rest of the South East, there is only 13 per cent.

"At a tipping level of just 30 per cent, you start to notice drastic declines in species diversity," she said.

Not only important for its trees, plants and shrubs, the district also has the potential to reign supreme in the bird world.

The SA bluegum and stringybark trees that call the region home are in turn, home to over 90 different species of bird, which a new project hopes to conserve for future generations.

"Bangham has a lot of potential in being a stronghold for conserving bird species in the South East," said Ms Hlava.

At the helm of a four-year biodiversity project, funded by the Australian Government, Ms Hlava said she is looking for landholders in the region to loan their land for a good cause.

"The aim is to revegetate corridors on private property with those corridors linking areas of remnant bushland together.

"We aim to create 100 hectares of vegetation across several properties.

"We're looking for landholders who might be interested in having a corridor on their property, as a way that they can help that some of these special bird species remain in the district within the future."

One of the bird species that the project is aiming to protect is the endangered South-Eastern Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo.

The eye-catching bird is believed to have an estimated population of just 1000 birds and is in danger of extinction.

Ms Hlava said creating corridors replicates the natural environment of such birds.

When surveys were conducted last winter and spring, Ms Hlava said thousands of honeyeaters flocked to the region to feast on the flowering Blue Gums.

Hooded Robins, Black-chinned Honeyeaters and Diamond Firetails were just some of the species recorded.

She said the birds play their part by pollinating and spreading seeds of native plants and trees, which in turn has benefits for local farmers.

"The higher biodiversity within an area means the system will function more healthily," she said.

"It's important if we want future generations to be able to see some of these species and enjoy them like we have, we have to make sure they're still around."

If you would like to participate in the native vegetation corridors project, contact Cassie Hlava on (08) 8735 1169 or Cassandra.Hlava@sa.gov.au